Casting machine



Sept. 21, 1948. E. c. KRUEGER 2,449,354

CASTING MACHINE Filed April 12, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. [Wm F0 6 Kym-ax? Big/Q M Sept. 21, 1948. E. c. KRUEGEIi CASTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 12, 1946 X mm M MM M $5 m mfl F W [B Patented Sept. 21, 1948 ASTING Edward Krueger, Otsego, Mich... assisnor to Hammond Machinery Builders, Inc., Kalamazoo, a corporation of Michigan Application April 12 1946', Serial No. 661 67"? 5.: Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in casting machines.

The main objects of this invention are:

first. to provide a stereotype casting machine which may be operated very expeditiously an with relative ease.

Second, to provide a type casting machine in which the mold members are autom-atically adjusted from horizontal make-ready position to upright casting position and vice versa by a rearward thrust and forward pulling movement.

Third, to provide a structure in which the top mold member is mounted for independent swingmg movement relative to the bed mold member and is adjustable to and from the bed mold member to receive forms or mats of dilrerent thickness.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear fromthe description 2 to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentarav side elevation of a casting machine embodying my invention, the mold members being shown in closed horizontal position by full linesand in upright casting position by dotted lines, the top mold member being also illustrated in its open position relative to the bed mold member by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view mainly in section on a line corresponding to line 2-2 of Fig. 3 with the mold members approaching closed position and with relatively thin mold bars and mat in position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view with the mold members in forward make-ready closed position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partially in section on a line corresponding toline 4-4" of 3 with the mold shown in casting position by dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in section on a line corresponding tothe sectionline of Fig. 2' illustrating the possible spacing adjustment of the top mold member relative to the bottom mold member.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in sec tion on line li -6 of Fig. 3 showing details of the clamp.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated comprises a supporting frame I having opposed ways 2' of inwardly facing; channel section. The melting or metal pot 3 is supported in an elevated 2 position on the uprights 4. This pot is provided with heating and heat control means designated generally by the numeral 5 and with a discharge spout 6 which is also. commonly provided with heating means, not illustrated. The. discharge oi the metal is controlled by a suitable valve or. gate which is not illustrated-as these details form no. part of the invention and mechanisms for the purpose are known in the art.

The mold comprises the mold bed member I and the top mold member 8, these mold members having flat faces 5 and Illrespectively. The bottom mold member is provided with journals or gudgeons H preierably having rollers and being outwardly tapered which travel in the ways 2.

Arms 12 are secured to the sides of the mold member and swingably engage the journal spindles [3. The outerends of these: arms are connected by the links M to the frame so that as the mold is reciprocated backwards and forwards it is automatically swung to upright molding position on its rearward stroke and to a horizontal make-ready position on its forward stroke.

The top mold member is pivotally or swingably mounted on the rod 5 which is carried by the posts It vertically adjustable or sli'dable in the rear end of the bed mold member. The top mold member is provided with counterbal-ancinglevers l'! which engage the rod and are provided with curved surfaces l8 over which the chains or cables l9 wrap, as shown in Fig. 2, the chains or cables being secured at 20. The counterbalance springs 2| are supported in the housings 22 of the brackets 23 carried by the post It, these brackets beingpinned to the posts at 24. The housings have removable extension portions 25 which facilitateassembly. The springs 2| engage the brackets at their upper ends and the cables are extended therethrough and provided with thrust members 26.

In Fig. 2, I illustrate the mold members as adapted to a fiber mat type of form 21. When such mats are used the mold side bars and mold end bar 28 are relatively thin. When form plates indicated conventionally at 2 9 are used, the mold side bars 39 are substantially thicker and when they are used the top mold su-pport members 3! which are pivoted on the rod ii are swung to erected position, as shown in Fig. 5, the lower ends of these supports resting on the top of the bed mold member as is shown. a

The ball deten-t 32 is provided to hold these members in inoperative positionsee Fig". 2.

The top mold member is provided with handpieces 33' which provide means for swinging the clamping of the mold members together either with the thin bars 28 or the thick bars 39.

It will be noted that the frame members have V-notches to receive the correspondingly shaped edges of the clamp members.

The parts are latched in their forward or make ready position by means of the latch 31 which is pivoted at 38 to engage the pin 39 on the link i i.

The mold members have diverging lips 40 which provide a guiding or sprue opening or throat for the metal discharged from the spout 6. The mold members are ribbed to prevent warping and in the interests of lightness. Heating means are commonly provided to prevent chilling of the metal as it ispoured into the mold but as such means form no part of the invention I have not illustrated the same herein.

Stops 4! areprovided to limitthe rearward stroke so that no particular care need be exercised in manipulation to adjust the parts to moving position. I

In ordinary use of casting machines of this type, repeated operationis required and therefore increasing of the ease of operation as has ,been'accomplished'not only greatly expedites the making of the castings but lessens-the physical labor required. I

I. have illustrated and described my improvements ina highly practical embodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe certain embodiments or adaptations which I contemplateas it is believed that this disclosure willenable those skilled in the art toembody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a casting machine, the combination of a frame provided with opposed horizontal ways, a fiat faced bed mold member provided with way engaging journals by which it is slidably and swingably supported, arms on said mold bed member projecting downwardly from its said journals, links connecting said arms to said frame so that the mold bed member is swung from horizontal upright position and vice versa as it is reciprocated on said ways, a top mold member, supporting posts for said top mold member freely and slidably mounted on said bed mold member at the rear thereof, a pivot rod on the upper ends of said posts, said topmold member being pro-- videdwith pivotmembers engaging said rod and constituting counterbalance levers and having curved surfaces, brackets provided with spring housings mounted onthe lower ends of said posts, counterbalancingsprings for said top mold mem ber arrangedin said housings, and cables connected at one end to said counterbalance levers to wrap upon their saidcurved surfaces, the other ends of said cables being engaged with said counterbalancing springs.

2. In a casting machine, the combination of a frame provided with opposed horizontal ways, a flat faced bed mold member provided with way engaging journals by which it is slidably and swingably supported, arms on said mold bed member projecting downwardly from its said journals, links connecting said arms to said frame so that the mold bed member is swung from horizontal to upright position and vice versa as it is reciprocated on said ways, a top mold member, supporting posts for said top mold member freely and slidably mounted on said bed mold member at the rear thereof, a pivot rod on the upper ends of said posts, said top mold member being provided with pivot members engaging said rod and constituting counterbalance levers, brackets on said posts, counterbalancing springs for said top mold member carried by said posts, and cables connected at one end to said counterbalance levers, the other ends of said cables being engaged with said counterbalancing springs.

3. In a casting machine, the combination of a frame provided with opposed horizontal ways, a flat faced bed mold member provided with way engaging journals by which it is slidably and swingably supported, arms on said mold bed member projecting downwardly from its said journals, links connecting said arms to saidframe so that the mold bed member is swung from horizontal to upright position and vice versa as it is reciprocated on said ways, a top mold member, supporting posts for said top mold member freely and slidably mounted on said bed mold member at the rear thereof, a pivot rod on the upper ends of said posts, said top mold member being provided with pivot members engaging said rod and constituting counterbalance levers, brackets on said posts, counterbalancing springs for said top mold member carried by said posts, cables connected at one end to saidcounterbalance levers, the other ends of said cables being engaged with said counterbalancing springs, and top 'mold member supports pivotally mounted on said rod to be adjusted to and from position to engage the bed mold member for supporting the rear end of the top mold member in elevated position relative to the bed mold member or to be swung to inoperative position.

4. Mounting structure for the top mold member of a stereotype casting machine having a reciprocable and tiltable bed mold member and a top mold member comprising, a pair of posts freely slidable through the rear of said bed memberto project thereabove and therebelow, a pivot rod supported between the upper ends of said posts, levers extending from the rear of said top member and pivotally supported on said rod, said levers having arcuate upper surfaces concentric about said rod, a pair of brackets secured one to the lower end of each of said postsand below said bed member, said brackets defining housings generally parallel to. said posts, counterbalance springs positioned in said housings, tension members secured to said levers and extending over said arcuate upper surfaces and through said housings and springs to bear against the lower ends of said springs, and a spacer member pivotally mounted on said rod and having major and minor dimensions, said spacer being adapted to engage said bed member and hold said rod and top mold member in spaced relationship with said bed member when the major dimension of said spacer is located normal to said bed member.

5. Mounting structure for the top mold member of a stereotype casting machine having a reciprocable and tiltable bed mold member and a top mold member comprising, a pair of posts freely supported between the upper ends of said posts, levers extending from the rear of said top member and pivotally supported on said rod, said levers having arcuate upper surfaces concentric about said rod, a pair of brackets secured one to the lower end of each of said posts and below said bed member, said brackets defining housings generally parallel to said posts, counterbalance springs positioned in said housings and tension members secured to said levers and extending 10 over said arcuate upper surfaces and through said housings and springs to bear against the lower ends of said springs.

EDWARD C. KRUEGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

